ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The original concept of immunosurveillance as proposed by Burnet and Thomas ( 1 ) has proved to be a key factor in controlling the development of tumors and is now an attractive target as another tool in our arsenal in the battle against cancer. Mounting evidence supports the idea of a spontaneous immune response to tumors that has the potential for exploitation by active immunotherapy ( 2 – 5 ). However, cancer immunotherapies have only had marginal clinical success, probably as a consequence of an incomplete understanding of tumor immunology and a lack of adequate investigation tools.
